3rd June 2015
They were late. So incredibly late. Tony being Tony, had completely forgotten that Pepper was abroad for an annual industrial meeting in London, and it was up to him to get Jayden up and ready for school. By the time FRIDAY woke him, they should've set off ten minutes ago. As he rushed around making her breakfast, he started cursing Happy for having a dentist appointment that clashed with his task of taking her to school.
"No time for chewing," he exclaimed as he slid over a slice of toast that was messily slathered in butter. "Quick, quick, Jayden!"
"I can't believe you slept over your alarm and FRIDAY," she grumbled through a mouthful of food as she tried to shake off the grogginess of being woken so abruptly.
"And pray tell me why it's my responsibility to get you up on time?"
"You're the adult here," she said, which made him roll his eyes as he took a large gulp of his coffee.
"Boss, there's a developing incident transpiring-"
"Not now." He brushed FRIDAY off with a wave of his hand. "Hurry it up. I'm already in enough trouble with that principal about your attendance. I don't need punctuality added to the list."
"Yet you still had time for coffee." She stuffed the last corner of her toast into her mouth before racing for her bag in the living room. "Can you get my lunch? It's in the fridge."
Tony threw her lunchbox at her as they met back up in the hallway; he gulped down the last of his coffee before dropping it down onto the shoe rack as he scurried for footwear. Jayden went for her coat, rushing to pull her arms through the sleeves as she ran back for her shoes.
"Boss, I highly recommend you take a look at any news channel before you leave," FRIDAY persisted.
"I'll deal with whatever it is when I get back. Mute until then," he briskly instructed. The AI fell silent as he groaned at the time. "With the state of New York traffic, we've missed our window. Pepper is going to utterly murder me."
He stopped mid-stride, and Jayden frowned as he looked between the windows visible through the living room and the blue cap on the coat hanger.
"Unless..." he murmured, rolling his bottom lip between his teeth.
"What?"
He smirked, taking the hat from the peg and dropping it onto her head. "How do you feel about flying to school?"
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Her arms latched around his neck despite the firmness of his arms keeping her steady and his assurances. She couldn't help it—the instinctual reaction when flying above the skyscrapers of New York was to do anything but relax. It wasn't as if she was afraid, on the contrary, the height gave her a blaze of exhilaration that made her pulse spike. Part of that may have been through Theo as he gaily flew beside them, his wings flat against the wind, using it to his advantages to twist and turn, performing small tricks for nothing more than satisfaction. She shivered in her coat. Tony had turned on his suit's external heating, but the wind was frigid and blustery, with no buildings around to slow its tempestuous path.
When he descended, he did so as quickly as he could without giving her whiplash. He sent the suit off to a discreet location when they touched ground. Taking the cap that had miraculously stayed on Jayden's head throughout the journey, with an added pair of sunglasses, he considered his disguise complete. Checking her hair, she was surprised to find it still tied in its ponytail and tucked stray hairs behind her ear.
She bit back a scoff at the attempt to go incognito, but she had no time to poke fun at him before he dragged her to the main street towards her school, a few blocks away.
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Unforeseen¹
FanfictionJYD2641 had enough. In her seven years, she's only ever known the cruel hands of her doctors, who were determined to make her the next Winter Soldier. All she'd ever known was death, pain, and fear. Instead of a parent's loving embrace, she had the...
